I’m in Nashville TN. None of the steel suppliers carry or even want to mess with 4130 tubing. I’m not trying to buy 100’ of anything. I need a few 10’ sticks of various size. Mail order is extremely expensive to ship and per foot. What do you builders do for tubing?
Where to buy “sticks” of 4130 tube?
- Thread starter Skip
- Start date
Check with local speed shops. Race cars have used aviation spec supplies and parts for years to include 4130. Usually if they dont have it in stock they can get for a reasonable cost.
Craig
Cleared for Takeoff
A stick is going to be 20 to 24 feet in length. Best bet is simply order it and make a weekend run to Aircraft Spruce East in Peachtree, Ga and pick it up. For UPS, it would have to be cut into sections under 8 feet in length.
I did the same when buying tubing for race cars...road trip!!
Old97
Pre-takeoff checklist
Wicks is in Highland IL - 5 hrs from nashville
Craig
Cleared for Takeoff
Skip: Be sure you are getting material from either a US or European mill. There's been lots of people that have had problems with thin wall 4130 from the far east or unknown mills.
Everyone is using Docol now. 4130 is old news.
Old97
Pre-takeoff checklist
I have thought about building but im not a builder (yet). As an engineer who gets paid to worry about quality issues among other things, i probably wouldn’t buy aircraft tubing without an MTR - material test report. Basically the birth certificate for the steel.
Old97
Pre-takeoff checklist
Huh that’s new to me. What problem is it solving?
Daleandee
Final Approach
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Dale Andee
Interesting stuff but there is little I can find about it. Have you used it for aircraft use i.e. to build a fuse? How is it when gas welding with OA?
Old97
Pre-takeoff checklist
I looked it up. Stronger like 100k yield but elongation (a measure of ductility) is lower. I don’t think that’s a good tradeoff for an aircraft structure. Maybe that’s helpful for a racecar. I could see that. Not sure about welding processes.
It welds more easily to various steel alloys. Dirt cars and sprint cars endure so much more flex and bending than any airplane I’ve been around. I’m sure it’s suitable for experimental of course. The heat affected zone is smaller as well. As for gas welding it, I live in the 70’s and up. TIG only for me.
tsts4
Pattern Altitude
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Nobody carries it in Nashville. Ordered from an Indianapolis.Alternatively, talk to your local welding supply shop -- they 'll be able to point you to a local supplier.Metal Supply | Steel Supply | Metal Store | Metal Supermarkets
Over 8,000 types, shapes and grades of metal. World's largest small-quantity metal supplier, 100+ brick-and-mortar metal stores. We are metal experts. Order now!